On May 22nd Governor Dayton signed Senate File 3481 into law. This drug sentencing legislation has been described as one of the most significant reforms to Minnesota’s criminal justice system in about three decades. It will result in an estimated 700 fewer people charged with felonies for drug possession per year and 650 fewer people in prison for drug offenses 10 years from now.
The legislative action was in response to the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission changes that would have gone into effect on August 1, 2016 (saving an estimated 550 prison beds in 10 years). The Guidelines changes were strongly opposed by prosecutors and law enforcement because they only reduced sentences for 1st and 2nd Degree (the most serious) offenders. The Guidelines changes also did nothing to meet the goals of raising threshold weights and decreasing penalties for lower level offenders.
The language of the legislation can be accessed here. It will go into effect on August 1, 2016, for crimes committed on or after that date.